L.A. Story: Is the West Coast the Best Coast for Beauty Right Now?

Chalk it up to balmy weather, but Los Angeles’s practically year-round requirements for perfectly pedicured feet, toned legs, and beachy waves has turned the city’s beauty scene into a hothouse for fresh young talent, noteworthy new lines, and jewel box salons worth crossing the country for. From Melrose Place to the beach, a proliferation of inspired services, boutiques, and artisanal brands is eschewing L.A.’s reputation as a one-industry town.

Caudalie
The Bordeaux-based skincare company Caudalie opened its West Coast flagship boutique and spa on hip, seaside Abbot Kinney Blvd this month. “Once we visited Venice, we felt the connection and immediately fell in love with the area,” explains owner Mathilde Thomas. Along with their organic grape-based skincare products packed with naturally occurring anti-aging Resveratrol and polyphenols, the store also features a Beauty Barrel Bar where clients can sit for facials, a nearby laboratory where they can have custom-made organic, cabernet-based body scrubs mixed up with their choice of essential oils, and a treatment room offering their signature Vinotherapie Premier Cru facial. The brand’s first nail salon, featuring Kure Bazaar’s non-toxic polishes, is also a fitting touch, considering that this outpost is just steps from the beach.

Côte
Côte Nail Shop owners Mary Lennon and Leah Yari aim to take the toxins out of every aspect of the nail salon experience from their range of 109 “five-free” (no formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate, toluene, camphor, or formaldehyde resin) polishes down to the linen armchairs equipped with iPads rather than gossip magazines. “We wanted to create a safe, elegant nail care experience that embraced the California beach lifestyle, with a hint of Southern France.” Try a manicure with Côte’s signature coral shade, No.1, followed by a hot-stone massage using the shop’s own organic Moroccan argan oil and an all-important application of SPF before heading out the door.

Gina Marí Skincare
“The way I see it, there are ten different types of crunches you have to do to get perfect abs,” says skin care guru Gina Marí of her similarly “layered” approach to facial treatments. “Likewise, your skin may need something different each time you come in, so we like to multitask.” A protégé of New York City’s cult facialist Dangene, and a former stuntwoman, Marí takes no prisoners in her pursuit of flawless, glowing skin, which is why A-listers flock to her discreet Beverly Hills treatment rooms for customized full-body treatments that include everything from microcurrent and dry dermabrasion to LED lights, oxygen, and micro-channeling.

Kelley Baker Brows
Brow whiz Kelley Baker promises to give even the most over-plucked clients Instagram-worthy arches at her bijoux Abbot Kinney studio—or at her new space inside the Beverly Hills Lasky Clinic. A deft hand with a pair of nail scissors, Baker, who trained with the city’s Damone Roberts, prefers brows on the thicker side. Take home the Magic Stick highlighter pencil and smudge brush from her eponymous brow care line to keep arches looking neat until your next visit.

Violet Grey
After launching their carefully curated e-commerce store earlier this month, Violet Grey’s brick-and-mortar shop opens May 1. Oozing old-world Hollywood glamour, the shop is tucked away in an ivy-covered courtyard and features covetable beauty brands like Tom Ford and Serge Lutens, as well as Utowa makeup brushes (designed by Hiroshi Uemura, the son of the legendary Shu). Customers can flick through owner Cassandra Huysentruyt Grey’s collection of rare fashion and beauty books for inspiration while sitting in Dean Martin’s makeup chair. Don’t miss the antique vitrines curated by a rotating roster of L.A.’s best makeup artists, like this month’s Mai Quynh (clients include Julianne Moore, Reese Witherspoon, and Jessica Chastain).

Régime des Fleurs
Created by stylist Ezra Woods (clients include Chloë Sevigny and Michelle Williams) and filmmaker Alia Raza, this soon-to-be released collection of six perfumes is already generating plenty of buzz. Divided into three tiers according to complexity—The Lyrics, The Ballads, and The Epic—and hand-blended in Los Angeles, the scents combine exquisite natural ingredients like genuine ambergris, lactonic amber, and ivory musk with state-of-the-art aromatic materials. Particularly striking is Nitesurf, a glowing neon marine floral, that was inspired by the idea of a phosphorescent, glowing blossom on Venice beach at night. “Nitesurf really resonates with people who love Southern California, especially people who have lived by the beach,” says Raza. “They say it reminds them of home.”

Perfumes, from $95 Available at select retailers in July or for pre-order online at luckyscent.com